The Early Years charts the early Space Age, including the launch of the first satellites and the landing of man on the Moon. This period of technological development, between the late 1950s and the early 1970s, is one of the most important we have ever known.It is the period in which we learned how to leave our home planet and explore another, entirely separate, planetary body. It represents an outstanding achievement in exploration.This book is a celebration of the importance of that early technology in shaping our global culture, from the globalising effect of the communications satellite to the cultural impact of images that place our planet in the context of a wider Universe.It is aimed at those with an interest in the history of space activity and the development of modern technology.Mark Williamson is a Chartered Physicist and Chartered Engineer who has over 25 years experience in satellite communications engineering, technical management and space consultancy, he holds a BSc (Hons) Physics and Astrophysics from Queen Mary College, London.